CFP Committee Sends Strong Message to Oklahoma Sooners After Dropping Them from Playoff Contention
The College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings are the ultimate measuring stick for every major college football program striving for a national title. For the Oklahoma Sooners, a program with a rich history of success, recent performances have raised serious questions about their ability to remain at the top of college football. This was made clear when the CFP committee sent a strong message by dropping Oklahoma from playoff contention after a series of disappointing losses, most notably their 38-33 defeat to Kansas in late November. The move highlights several important lessons for both the Sooners and college football as a whole.
The State of Oklahoma Football
Oklahoma’s football program has long been one of the most prestigious in the nation. With a storied history of conference championships, Heisman-winning quarterbacks, and a perennial contender in the Big 12, expectations have always been sky-high in Norman. However, after Lincoln Riley left for USC, the Sooners have been in transition under head coach Brent Venables. Despite a promising start to the 2023 season, Oklahoma’s inability to sustain elite-level performance exposed weaknesses that led to their removal from playoff contention.
As the season progressed, Oklahoma demonstrated both the promise of championship pedigree and the inconsistency of a team still finding its identity. The Sooners’ high-powered offense, led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, was explosive at times, but their defense—traditionally a strength in past seasons—struggled with gaps and inconsistency. While their 2023 campaign had them in the mix for the College Football Playoff, the loss to Kansas ultimately highlighted the vulnerabilities in the team’s overall structure.
The Kansas Loss: A Turning Point
In Week 12, Oklahoma faced a Kansas team that was having one of its best seasons in recent memory. The Jayhawks entered the game with a 7-4 record, but they were not viewed as a top-tier contender like Oklahoma. However, the Sooners’ defense failed to contain Kansas’ offense, and the Jayhawks’ dual-threat quarterback Jalon Daniels carved up the Oklahoma defense. The Sooners had chances to come back, but their struggles on defense, combined with missed opportunities on offense, sealed their fate. The 38-33 loss marked the beginning of the end for Oklahoma’s hopes of reaching the playoff.
This loss, coming late in the season, was a significant blow to their resume. The Sooners were already sitting at two losses, and while the committee may have initially given them the benefit of the doubt, the Kansas defeat was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The CFP committee has historically favored teams that perform consistently throughout the season and avoid bad losses, particularly in November when the stakes are highest. Oklahoma’s inability to close out against a lesser opponent signaled to the committee that the Sooners were not quite up to the standard of a playoff-caliber team.
The CFP Committee’s Strong Message
The College Football Playoff committee’s decision to drop Oklahoma from playoff contention serves as a reminder that no team is immune to the reality of late-season performance. The committee is charged with evaluating teams based on their strength of schedule, quality wins, and overall consistency. While Oklahoma’s offense had some impressive wins earlier in the year, such as their triumph over Texas, their late-season shortcomings proved fatal in their playoff hopes.
What the committee is telling the Sooners—and other teams still in the hunt for a playoff berth—is that the margin for error is incredibly slim. Teams in the top 10 cannot afford to drop games to unranked opponents, especially in November when every loss is magnified. While Oklahoma’s overall resume was still solid, it ultimately lacked the quality needed to stay in the playoff picture. The committee seems to be sending the message that a team must demonstrate excellence in all aspects of the game and be able to close out key matchups in critical moments.
This decision also serves as a warning to other potential contenders: If a program like Oklahoma—one of the most decorated and respected in the sport—can fall out of playoff contention, then anyone is vulnerable. The selection committee is more focused than ever on rewarding teams that exhibit dominance and consistency throughout the year, rather than relying solely on reputation or early-season wins.
The Broader Implications for College Football
Oklahoma’s fall from playoff contention speaks to broader trends in the landscape of college football. With the increasing dominance of programs like Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State, it’s clear that the competition for playoff spots is more intense than ever. But perhaps even more crucially, it reflects the evolving nature of the sport itself. The rise of transfer portal players, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, and coaching changes are shifting the landscape of college football in unpredictable ways.
For teams like Oklahoma, the days of simply relying on a long-standing reputation and historical success are over. While the Sooners have always been able to reload and remain competitive, the 2023 season has shown that consistency, especially on defense, is what truly separates elite teams from those that fall short of playoff contention. The Sooners’ struggles mirror a broader trend across the country: Programs with high expectations need to be able to adapt quickly to the changing dynamics of the sport.
The Kansas loss also reflects how the Big 12, once dominated by Oklahoma and Texas, has become a much more competitive conference in recent years. Teams like Kansas, Kansas State, and TCU have significantly improved, and the Sooners are no longer the guaranteed giants in the conference that they once were. In a league with increasing parity, every game counts—and Oklahoma’s late-season slip-up proves that no team can afford to let its guard down, even against perceived underdogs.
What’s Next for Oklahoma?
As the Sooners watch their playoff hopes slip away, the focus will inevitably shift to what comes next. Head coach Brent Venables, who was brought in to stabilize the program after Lincoln Riley’s departure, now faces a critical juncture in his tenure. While Venables has shown promise as a defensive mastermind, his inability to consistently field a championship-caliber defense has put his program in a precarious position.
Oklahoma must regroup, reassess its weaknesses, and build on the positives from the season. The offense, led by Gabriel, has shown explosive potential, but the defense needs a significant overhaul. The Sooners will also need to make key adjustments in recruiting and player development, particularly in the trenches and in secondary play, to ensure they can compete with the elite programs that dominate the playoff race.
There are still reasons for optimism in Norman. The Sooners have the resources, fan base, and recruiting pedigree to remain competitive. However, their playoff aspirations have been delayed for at least another year, and they must now focus on regrouping for the 2024 season.
Conclusion
The CFP committee’s decision to remove Oklahoma from playoff contention is a clear reminder that the path to the College Football Playoff is not just about talent—it’s about consistency, quality victories, and closing out games. For the Sooners, their late-season collapse has cost them a shot at the ultimate prize, but it also sends a valuable lesson to the entire college football world: The margin for error is razor-thin, and every game matters.
As for Oklahoma, the work ahead is clear. They must rebuild, refine their weaknesses, and come back stronger in the years to come if they are to once again challenge for a spot in the playoff and add to their illustrious legacy.
